Schultz really does get the job done as a shut-down player, though he’s not the puck-mover that Gilbert is

Nick Schultz is billed by the Edmonton Oilers as a shut-down defenceman.

Will Schultz live up to that billing?

It’s a fair question to ask, especially given the recent spotty play of players brought in by the Oilers, including Nikolai Khabibulin, Patrick O’Sullivan, Kurtis Foster, Cam Barker and Colin Fraser.

I can’t say I put much weight in the billing that the Oilers give to their incoming pro acquisitions any longer. I wanted to see for myself if Schultz was getting the job done for the Minnesota Wild this year and the best I could do in terms of reviewing Schultz’s body of work was to study the video clips at NHL.com of the even strength goals against where Schultz has been on the ice.

In the end, the results were encouraging. Schultz is not nearly the puck-mover that Tom Gilbert is, but he appears to a safer defensive defenceman than Gilbert. Schultz might also be a superior defender to Gilbert, though Gilbert has made great strides in this area this year. It’s also worth noting that Jeff Petry, who is being billed as Gilbert’s repalcement, is likely a superior puck mover to Gilbert, but he’s about where Gilbert was defensively two or three years ago, a bit of a horror show on occasion, leaking goals against at about twice the rate than Gilbert does now.

Gilbert is more of a flow player, getting the puck, moving it, moving up ice with it. Schultz is definitely more of a stay-at-home player.

You won’t find him getting caught up ice on a two-on-one.

In his own zone, you’ll generally find him collapsing towards the slot area, to cover the most dangerous of attackers.

He will give up the outside shot or pass in order to prevent the shot from the slot, or the pass through the slot.

He’s almost always on his man at the right moment in the right way, with his body between the attacker and Schultz’s goalie.

He’s brilliant at defending two-on-ones, forcing the shooter to shoot rather than allowing the much more dangerous cross-ice pass.

He’s not a rough player (he’s far less physical than Ladi Smid, for example), but he’s adept at taking the man and tieing up his hockey stick.

He’s not a big hitter, but blocks a lot of shots. Without the puck, he reminds me of cagey Nicklas Lidstrom, though, of course, Schultz isn’t nearly the player that Lidstrom is with the puck.

This year, Schultz has been on the ice for 25 goals for and 35 goals against at even strength, making him -10, which tells us pretty much absolutely nothing about Schultz as a defender.

Why? Very often players are on the ice for a goal against and are at no fault on that goal against.

In 62 games this year, Schultz played 1,038 even strength minutes for the Wild. On review of 34 of those 35 goals against (I couldn’t locate one of them), he was the person who made the primary error just three times. On 13 other goals against, he made some smaller contributing error (see full results below).

Let’s compare that to Gilbert. In 819 even strength minutes this season, Gilbert has made five primary goal-causing errors and 15 errors that contributed to goals against in total.

I should add that with Gilbert I’ve been able to review the full game leading up to the goal against, but NHL.com only gives you about 10 to 15 seconds of Wild goals against, so I likely missed a few Schultz turnovers that also contributed to goals against. So when it comes to mistakes on goals against, their defensive numbers are pretty much similar.

Schultz will be an excellent defender and a cautious one, but this year he hasn’t been much or any better than Gilbert in his own zone, at least when it comes to their play on goals against.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2011020546 Schultz lone man back on two-on-one, forces puck to boards with good pokecheck. Puck is slapped out front, Schultz covering his man, but Hall comes in late, not covered, puts it in, no fault Schultz.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2011020519 Galiardi rushes puck in, Schultz on him. Galiardi cuts to middle, Schultz checks him, but Galiardi able to achieve enough separation to get off OK shot from top of left circle. It’s screened and goes in. Small mistake by Schultz, secondary error.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2011020506 Schultz blocks a shot from the point, it squirts over to Eberle, who is not covered. Eberle dekes goalie and puts it in, as Schultz scrambles to recover and cover. No fault to him here.

17. Dec. 19, Vancouver, Jannik Hansen

http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2011020486 After a giveaway by Stoner, Schultz helps thwart a two-on-one by blocking passing lane. Puck goes into corner, Stoner failes to cover, puck is passed out front where Schultz is a bit late covering on Hansen, who scores. Secondary error for Schultz.

18. Dec. 14, Chicago, Jonathan Toews

http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2011020449 Toews beats Wild defender out of corner, leaving Schultz to protect his own man in front of net, while trying to stop Toews. Toews moves out, goes around Schultz and scores, so a secondary error on Schultz, but not a major mistake.

19. Dec. 8, Los Angeles, Dustin Penner

http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2011020415 Kopitar wheels through slot, passes over to Jack Johnson on boards, the Wild in disarray. Mike Lundin should have Johnson, but he’s slow to get there, so Schultz moves off Penner. There’s a shot, a rebound and Penner puts it in. Secondary error for Schutlz, not Lundin appears to be real culprit.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2011020367 Schultz appears on video to lose a puck battle in the corner, but there’s no big issue, just the puck moving back and a point shot. Parise, Schultz’s man, tips it in. Primary error for Schultz, but not a major one.

Schultz allows a pass out from corner, not any kind of major mistake to Brodie, who is not covered. He shoots from outside slot and scores. Bad mistake by goalie.Schultz not really at fault, but maybe a secondary error for him.

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